The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1887-05-07
MANDA'S PARCEL.
BY LILY CURRY.

Of course it was absurd-realy and
truly absurd-for job to have taken the
affair so sorely to heart. Even Jobs
mother, that lively body. herself scarcely
past forty, who had felt jolly interest
IN the matter all along and encouraged
her sons aspirations to the extent of de-
nuding her hes, window plants in order
to provide bouquets for the fair lady of
his choicc-even Jobs mother. af,c~ the
first shock of disappointment. had settled
down from IA state Of indignant excite
ment TO good-naturedly philosophical
view OF the circumstances. The girl that
could tribe with her son Jobs feelings.
was well, she was bad enough to do
most anything; and job was vel! rid of
her, though she WAS worth forty time, as
much money a. Adciinc Humphreys was
SAID to he worth--or at least would in
herit before Ion" from her dead mothers
property. Aud il was mean, the way
poor job had been led on To take bon
qucts of his mothers CONSTRUCTING. and
cakes of his mothers compromising, and
preserves and pickles of his mothers nut
ting up, all to that ungratefu Hum
phrcyS girl. and then have her turn
around and tlOut him before all the other
folks at Elder Gurncy's donation party.
Mrs. Wcstcott had considered all this and
a good deal besides that was more en-
phatic, and, indeed, perhaps a good deal
that she was ashamed of when she grew
cooler and tried to console her son.
After all, job, Adeline amt so very
young. And never did think her much
on looks. There's Minnie Hawkins has
got just as good figgcr, and Lutte Eli
sons hair and eyes is great deal prcttier.
wouldn't fret about it; wouldn't let her
think cared straw"
But Job was not to be consoled. All
the morning he sat huddled up by the
kitchen stove with look of misery that
might well have become his Biblical pro-
totypc He nursed his wounded feelings
in utter silence. His mother had been
asleep when he returned the night before
and, of course, she knew nothing about
her sons aggricyance until he had dawned
upon her at breakfast, palcr and more
melancholy Of aspect than she had ever
seen him before in his twenty-one wears
of life. Then what he said was brief and
to the point: Its all up. Adcline went
back on me. She as good as told me she
was going to marry that fellow Kidder.
from Rocky Forks. Mouse in my trying
any more. She snubbed me out and out.
Every one saw it"
After breakfast he went ont and did a
few chores. but soon returned and hud-
died himself up behind the stove again.
where there were but two scriou, objects
for contemplation fat ninc-vear -old
cat and the well filled coal box.
There he sat, thin, long limbed. hollow
eyed and even aguish Adeline had
given HIM the mitten There wasn't
much to live for. He sat in silent retro
spcction; sat and remembered how much
time-for three long months-and how
much effort he had devoted 70 the WOO
inS of Adeline Humphreys Sadly he re-
viewed the wasted hours, the fruitless
offerings ut that shrine Only two davs
before he had Squandcred considerable
sum out Of his past summers earnings
whcrcwith 10 purchase for this heartleSs
creatures dedication one of the hand
soonest valentines displayed in the chief
store of the village The valentine was
even now resting, wrapped for delivery
and marked with her initials, "A. H."
upon the bureau in the spare chamber.
Tears came oozing up in his eyes ss he
thought Of this
His mother was sweeping out the sit
ting room.
She suddenly stopped